Chase Infiniti is set to star in “Portrait of God,” a new horror feature from writer-director Dylan Clark that has been acquired and greenlit for production by Lionsgate. The film marks the first-ever producing collaboration between horror filmmakers Sam Raimi and Jordan Peele, bringing together two prominent names from the genre for a feature based on Clark’s own viral short film.
“Portrait of God” originated as a seven-minute short film written and directed by Clark in 2022. Shot in a dark studio over five days and featuring a single character, the short has since accumulated more than 10 million views online. The original film follows a religious young academic who is preparing a presentation on an artwork titled “Portrait of God” when he comes face to face with the divine in an unholy fashion. The feature adaptation will expand that premise into a full-length horror film.
The feature version of “Portrait of God” was previously set up at Universal in December before Lionsgate acquired the project and moved ahead with production. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson announced the deal and praised Clark’s distinctive approach to horror, while also highlighting the involvement of Raimi, Peele and Infiniti.
“We’re delighted to deepen our creative partnership with Dylan Clark, whose remarkable talent and distinctive perspective make him one of the most exciting emerging voices in horror,” Fogelson said. He also pointed to Raimi and Peele’s involvement as producers, Infiniti’s casting and Clark’s role as director as key elements of the project.
Clark is directing the feature adaptation after establishing the project through his original short. He is also preparing to make another major move into feature filmmaking, as he is directing an untitled reboot of “The Blair Witch Project” for Lionsgate and Blumhouse Atomic Monster. “Portrait of God” is expected to follow that project once it is completed, giving Clark two major horror features in development with Lionsgate.
Speaking about the deal, Clark said he was experiencing firsthand the trust Lionsgate places in its filmmakers through his work on the “Blair Witch” project. He added that he was pleased that “Portrait of God” had also found a home at the studio and welcomed Infiniti to the project.
Raimi and longtime producing partner Rob Tapert are producing “Portrait of God” through their Ghost House Pictures banner. Peele and Win Rosenfeld are producing through Monkeypaw Productions, while Joe Russo, who co-wrote the screenplay with Clark, is also producing. Romel Adam and Jose Cañas are overseeing the project for Ghost House, with Chris Rosati serving as executive producer under his NAT20 Films first-look deal.
The project also continues Raimi’s relationship with Lionsgate. The studio is separately backing “Magic,” his next film as director, giving the filmmaker another project with the company alongside his producing role on “Portrait of God.”
For Infiniti, the film follows a breakout period in her career. She recently starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Academy Award-winning “One Battle After Another,” a performance that earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She also appeared in Hulu’s “The Testaments,” which brought her an Emmy nomination. Her involvement gives the horror project a lead performer coming off major awards recognition.
The film’s creative team also reflects the growing connection between viral horror projects and studio feature filmmaking. “Portrait of God” began as a short-form online project before attracting attention and developing into a feature, following a path that has increasingly connected independent digital horror creators with established studios and producers. The film’s original short provided the foundation for Clark’s feature screenplay and established the central premise that will now be expanded for the larger production.
The collaboration between Raimi and Peele is one of the project’s most notable elements. Both filmmakers have established extensive producing careers in horror, and “Portrait of God” brings their production companies together for the first time. Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures will produce alongside Peele and Rosenfeld’s Monkeypaw Productions, while Clark remains closely involved as both writer and director.
Clark’s transition from the viral short to the feature also gives “Portrait of God” a direct connection to its original concept. The 2022 short’s contained setup, religious themes and encounter with the divine provide the foundation for the new film, although Lionsgate has not yet revealed how the story will be expanded for the feature-length version.
The project is currently moving through Lionsgate’s production pipeline, with Clark expected to direct after completing his work on the “Blair Witch” reboot. No release date has been announced for “Portrait of God,” and further details about the feature’s expanded story and additional cast have yet to be revealed.
With Infiniti attached to lead the film, Clark directing from his own original short, and Raimi and Peele joining forces as producers, “Portrait of God” brings together an established studio, a viral horror concept and a new filmmaker making the transition to feature filmmaking. The project’s origins as a seven-minute short that attracted more than 10 million online views will now form the basis for a feature production backed by Lionsgate and produced by Ghost House Pictures and Monkeypaw Productions.